Fourth Of July Picnic About $6 Per Person This Year
July 4, 2013
A Fourth of July picnic of Americans’ favorite Fourth foods including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and chocolate milk is affordable this summer at less than $6 per person, according to an informal survey conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The average cost for a summer picnic for 10 is $57.20 or $5.72 per person according to AFBF.
“Although retail food prices have increased modestly over the past year or so, most Americans should be able to find summer picnic foods at close to the average prices found by our volunteer shoppers,” said John Anderson, deputy chief economist at AFBF.
“For many of us, nothing says the Fourth of July more than firing up the grill to prepare a meal,” Anderson said. “We’re fortunate here in America to have a consistent, high-quality supply of meats and poultry that can be grilled or prepared any number of different ways.”
AFBF’s summer picnic menu for 10 consists of hot dogs and buns, cheeseburgers and buns, pork spare ribs, deli potato salad, baked beans, corn chips, lemonade, chocolate milk, watermelon for dessert, and ketchup and mustard.
A total of 60 AFBF volunteer shoppers in 22 states checked retail prices for summer picnic foods for this informal survey.
AFBF’s July Fourth Picnic Survey is part of the organization’s marketbasket series, which also includes an annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey and two “everyday” marketbasket surveys on common food staples that can be used to prepare a meal.
Featured Recipe: Yankee Doodle Dandy Treats
July 4, 2013
Looking to spend some time with the kids in the kitchen? Yankee Doodle Dandy Treats are a fun, easy and patriotic way to celebrate.
The recipe is not only easy, but it also lots of fun. It’s terrific for a “just-because” snack or as a sweet way to finish off a family picnic. And kids of all ages can help – from pouring and stirring to dipping and decorating, there’s something everyone can do.
Yankee Doodle Dandy Treats
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1 package (10 ounces, about 40) regular marshmallows OR 4 cups miniature marshmallows
- 6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal OR 6 cups Kellogg’s® Cocoa Krispies® cereal
- 1 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- Red-, white- and blue-colored sprinkles
Preparation
- In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
- Add cereal. Stir until well coated.
- Using buttered spatula or wax paper, evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Crosswise cut in half, forming two 9 x 6 1/2-inch rectangles.
- Meanwhile, in small saucepan melt white chocolate morsels over low heat, stirring frequently. Stir in oil. Add powdered sugar, stirring until combined. Add water. Stir until smooth.
- Spread chocolate mixture over one cereal rectangle. Top with second rectangle. Sprinkle with red, white and blue sprinkles, pressing lightly into cereal mixture. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. Cut into 3 1/4 x 1-inch strips. Best if served the same day.
Serves
Servings 18
Preparation Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour
Man Convicted Of Robbery, Faces 10 Years To Life
July 4, 2013
An Escambia County man has been convicted of robbery.
Arion Lavon Goble was convicted by an Escambia County jury of robbery with a firearm wearing a mask, burglary of a dwelling armed with a firearm wearing a mask, and grand theft wearing a mask.
On August 10, 2012, Goble and Jeffery Pruitt entered into the victim’s apartment with masks over their faces. They both entered the bedroom and awoke the sleeping victim. Goble forced the victim to the ground and held a shotgun to his head. Pruitt then searched the bedroom and stole $800. Afterwards, both Goble and Pruitt fled the scene and split the money. Both Pruitt and Goble made admissions to other persons shortly after the crime. Additionally, Goble was identified by the victim due to a distinct tattoo on his neck.
On April 4, 2013, Pruitt pled to the crimes of principal to robbery armed With a firearm and principal to burglary of dwelling armed with a firearm and was sentenced to 10 years state prison. That sentence was conditioned that he testify truthfully regarding the involvement of other persons in this case. At trial, Pruitt did testify that he and Goble committed the crimes.
Goble is set for sentencing on August 8, 2013 in front of Judge Ross Goodman.
Goble faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years state prison and possible maximum of life in prison.
Wahoos Blast Two Homers For 5-3 Series Finale Win
July 4, 2013
No stranger to tight contests, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos found themselves on the right end of a 5-3 score over the Jacksonville Suns in the series finale at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville on Wednesday night. Pensacola ended up winning two of the five games in the set and moved to within a game of Jacksonville in the South Division standings.
The win wasn’t easy for the Wahoos, who had to survive another late Jacksonville rally to earn the victory. Pensacola held a 4-1 lead through five innings but saw Jacksonville fight its way back into the contest with solo tallies in the sixth and seventh. Zack Cox’s solo blast in the sixth inning made the score 4-2 before the Suns scored without the aid of a hit in the seventh. With the bases loaded and one out, Wilkin De La Rosa induced a 5-2 fielder’s choice and appeared to have the final out of the inning but third baseman Travis Mattair bobbled a grounder to his left, allowing Noah Perio to score an unearned run and make it a one-run game. De La Rosa battled back to strike out Zack Cox and end the threat.
Jacksonville put two on in the eighth inning against De La Rosa, but Loek Van Mil entered out of the bullpen to get a groundout from Taylor Krick, preserving the 4-3 lead.
Ryan LaMarre gave the Wahoos some breathing room in the top of the ninth, blasting his fifth homer of the season, a solo shot, to give the Wahoos a 5-3 cushion. Van Mil came back in the last of the ninth and retired the Suns in order to pick up his seventh save of the year.
Pensacola scored first in the ballgame on a Devin Lohman single scoring Ryan LaMarre in the top of the third inning. Jacksonville countered in the bottom of the frame with a two-out RBI double from Danny Black to knot the score at one.
Marquez Smith put the Wahoos back on top in the fourth inning with a one-out homer to deep left-center field. It was Smith’s third homer of the season with Pensacola in just 17 games.
In the fifth inning, the Wahoos doubled their advantage with two unearned runs. Pensacola starting pitcher Josh Smith reached on an error by the third baseman Zack Cox with two outs, which opened the flood gates. Corey Wimberly singled to put runners on first and second before Yorman Rodriguez drove home Smith with an RBI single to right. Wimberly moved to third on the play and came home to score the eventual game-winning run on a balk by Jacksonville starter Jay Jackson, making the score 4-2.
Smith improved to 7-6 on the season by tossing his eighth quality start of the year. The right-hander allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out three to pick up his second straight victory.
Jackson fell to 2-7 on the year despite going seven innings. The Jacksonville right-hander allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits in his outing, striking out five and walking one.
The Wahoos now return home to start a five-game series with the Jackson Generals on Thursday afternoon. Pensacola will send Shaun Ellis (2-1, 3.76) to the bump against Jackson southpaw Anthony Fernandez (5-3, 5.27). First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. as the Blue Wahoos celebrate Independence Day at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
story by Kevin Burke
Fourth Holiday Closures, Trash Changes
July 3, 2013
Here is a look at Fourth of July closures and trash schedule changes around the area:
CLOSURES
Closed on Thursday July 4, open on Friday, July 5:
- All Escambia County offices
- ECAT – admin offices closed, regular routes will not run
- ECUA business offices
- Town of Century offices
- Town of Jay Offices
- Flomaton city offices
- Atmore city offices
- All Santa Rosa county offices
- All Escambia County, AL offices
Closed Thursday, July 4 and Friday, July 5:
- West Florida Library locations
- City of Pensacola offices
TRASH
ECUA residential sanitation customers will experience schedule changes to their garbage, recycling, bulk, and yard trash pick ups. Collections scheduled for Thursday, July 4, will be made on Friday, July 5. Collections scheduled for Friday, July 5 will be made on Saturday, July 6. ECUA commercial (dumpster service) collections scheduled for Thursday, July 4, will be made one day earlier, on Wednesday, July 3.
Town of Century sanitation pickup will be on Wednesday, July 3 as usual.
City of Pensacola Sanitation Services collection routes normally scheduled for Thursday, July 4 will be collected a day earlier on Wednesday, July 3. Friday routes will remain unchanged.
No Injuries In Highway 29 Rollover Accident
July 3, 2013
There were no injuries in this accident about 2:45 p.m. on Highway 29 near Roberts Road. All occupants of the vehicle were out when first responders arrived on scene. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Former Commission Candidate, Community Leader Sam Archer Passes Away
July 3, 2013
Sam Archer, a longtime champion for Cantonment and surrounding areas, passed away Wednesday. He was 58.
Born on Election Day in 1954, Archer first entered the political arena in 2012 as a a leading candidate for the Escambia County Commission District 5 seat, falling just a few hundred votes shy of the Republican nomination for the position in the 2012 election.
Archer lived his entire life in Escambia County, attending Jim Allen Elementary School and graduating from Tate High in 1972. He earned an AA degree in 1974 from Pensacola Junior College and a BS degree in Education and Health Science from the University of West Florida. After college, he taught at Molino Elementary, Barrineau Park Elementary, Ransom Middle School and Tate High School.
After teaching for six years, he went to work for a petroleum marketing company, rising to the ranks of regional vice president over the Southeastern region. He later worked for UPS and managed several rental properties. In 2003, he founded Motorsports Marketing, promoting regional motorsports events.
Archer is survived by his wife of over 30 years, Karen; two children, Kari and Jeremy; two granddaughters and numerous other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held Saturday at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church in Pensacola.
Buckmaster’s Life Hunt: Tate Student, Cancer Patient On National TV
July 3, 2013
Tate High School student Halee Boyd, who is continuing to fight a rare form of cancer, will appear on the Outdoor Channel this week.
A few months ago, Halee took part in the Buckmasters Life Hunt Classic 2013. Life Hunt is a wish-granting service for children and young adults with critical illnesses and diseases. The program was officially founded in 1998 to grant hunting wishes and has served hundreds of children and young adults to date.
The hunt took place at Sedgefields Plantation near Selma, AL. The plantation is considered to have some of the finest whitetail deer habitat in Alabama.
The Buckmasters Whitetail Magazine Classic Life Hunt show will including highlights from the hunt. It airs on the Outdoor Channel at 1 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. Saturday.
Halee is battling Alevola Rhabdomyosarcoma , ARMS for short, a rare cancer of the muscles that are attached to the bones. There are only a few hundred new cases per year in the U.S.
Pictured top: Jackie Bushman, founder of Buckmasters, Mardi Boyd and Halee Boyd at the Buckmasters Life Hunt Classic 2013. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Obama Administration Pushes Back Part Of Health Law
July 3, 2013
Businesses with more than 50 employees got a one-year reprieve Tuesday from a controversial part of the federal Affordable Care Act that calls for them to provide health insurance to workers — or face potential penalties.
The requirement was scheduled to take effect in 2014, but the Obama administration announced that it would be pushed back to 2015.
“We have heard concerns about the complexity of the requirements and the need for more time to implement them effectively,” Mark Mazur, assistant secretary for tax policy, wrote in a post on the U.S. Treasury Department website. “We recognize that the vast majority of businesses that will need to do this reporting already provide health insurance to their workers, and we want to make sure it is easy for others to do so. We have listened to your feedback. And we are taking action.”
The Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, seeks to spur large employers to offer coverage as a way to help insure most Americans. Smaller firms do not face the same penalties.
Sanitation Truck, Dump Truck Collide; Shut Down Highway
July 3, 2013
There were no injuries in a wreck involving a dump truck and a sanitation truck Tuesday morning in Molino.
The ECUA sanitation truck driven by 52-year old Jeffrey B. Mathis of Pensacola was stopped on southbound Highway 95A to pick up trash and then moved forward to make a left turn onto Kemala Avenue, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The rear corner of the sanitation truck was hit by a southbound dump truck driven by 53-year old Sammy E. Fuller of Molino, causing the dump truck to overturn.
Mathis and his passenger, 56-year old Jose L. Morales of Pensacola, and Fuller were not injured. Fuller was cited for careless driving, according to the FHP.
The dump truck’s load of dirt was spilled as it overturned, shutting down Highway 95A for a few hours.
Pictured: A collision involving a dump truck and a sanitation truck Tuesday morning in Molino. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
